19960106 20 BNSF Fenton, IL, 1996
Fenton Township’s story
164 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 1996 and 2 maps from 1952 on.
- 1862Fenton Township is settled
Fenton TownshipIL
A town of 549, settled in 1862.
Population
549
2025 Census estimate · −2.7% since 2020
Typical home
$233K
+7.3% in a year
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
39.5
years
Jobs based here
25
A commuter town
Is Fenton Township a good place to live?
9.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Fenton Township, where Illinois’ towns sit at 29% and U.S. towns at 29%. Fenton Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
549 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Portland TownshipProphetstown TownshipUnion Grove TownshipLyndon TownshipErie TownshipNewton TownshipErieFenton Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Fenton Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Fenton Township, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Fenton Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereWhiteside County ClerkWhiteside County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2026
ZIP codes61251, 61250, 6127061251 57% · 61250 33% · 61270 10%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Fenton Township.
Work & commute
Fenton Township has 0.1 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Fenton Township’s typical household income is $59,000. For most workers, Fenton Township is a place to come home to: only 1% work in town. The top destinations are Erie (11%), Sterling (5%) and Morrison (5%). Half of commuters travel less than 22 miles.
1%work in town
| Fenton Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.8% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 10% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Fenton Township1%
Erie11%
Sterling5%
Morrison5%
Davenport5%
22 mi
median commute distance
25
jobs based in Fenton Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
A typical Fenton Township home is worth about $233K
Among households in Fenton Township, 88% live in a home they own. Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 7.3% in value.
$233KZillow home value
Typical home value
Fenton Township$233K
Illinois$296K
+7.3%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Fenton Township
The range runs from 14° on a January night to 85° on a July afternoon, with about 30 inches of snow a winter.
30″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–33°
Spring39–60°
Summer62–83°
Fall42–63°
Oct 13
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Fenton Township is
The town does better than the Illinois average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 4. 34% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Fenton Township. In Fenton Township, 31% of adults feel lonely, and 11% worry about having enough food.
| Fenton Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 33% | 33% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 35% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
6 better22 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Fenton Township | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11% | 15.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.2% | 13.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.7% | 7.6% |
Morrison Community Hospital
7.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Moderate risk in Fenton Township, with inland flooding at the top
Compared with 59% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Fenton Township is lower. The town has had 22 paid flood insurance claims since 1993. FEMA puts 44% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 14% to drought.
41risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
22
paid flood claims since 1993
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 22,416 acres
1.9 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Fenton Township
17pages on Fenton Township
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Fenton Township
About 1 of every 100 Fenton Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Fenton Township for work
Where Fenton Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
25jobs based in Fenton Township
1%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Fenton Township
Unincorporated community in Illinois, United States
Fenton is an unincorporated community in Whiteside County, Illinois. Fenton is located 6 miles (9.7 km) southwest of Morrison. The community has a post office with ZIP code 61251.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Elevation
- 620 ft
- ZIP code
- 61251
Questions about Fenton Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Fenton Township, IL a good place to live?
Fenton Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.